Shades of Red
by xThe Painted Lady
Summary: Molly Prewett rarely told of her seven years at Hogwarts. When she was rather different from what her children would probably think of her.


_**A/N: **Written for WeasleySeeker's 'When They Were At Hogwarts Competition' on the HPFC Forum._

_Thanks to RubyRed.950 for beta-ing/editing this for me._

* * *

***Year One***

"Prewett, Molly!"

Molly Prewett shook with nervousness as she walked up to the stool where the Sorting Hat sat waiting. Putting on a charming grin the Hat stared at her as she moved across the Great Hall.

'_Don't worry Molly.'_

_'You're definitely a Gryffindor! No doubt about it!_

_'The Sorting Hat's smart. It won't put you where you don't belong.'_

_'If you're anything like us, you won't worry.'_

Molly's brothers Fabian and Gideon's words entered her mind as she stared at the Sorting Hat grinning at her.

That scared her even more. For one thing, she didn't know the hat could talk! And the smile it was wearing looked creepier than charming.

Molly sat on the stool and risked a glance over at the Gryffindor table where her brothers sat. She saw them both give her thumbs up and she carefully lowered the hat onto her head.

_"Ah, a Prewett. Come to join your brothers I see?"_

Molly jumped at the voice. Shaking, she answered,

"Ye-es"

_"Ah, well, your brothers are smart. Don't worry. Now where should I put you?"_

Molly gripped the sides of the stool. If anywhere, she wanted to be put in Gryffindor with her brothers. But is that where she belonged? Was she brave like a Gryffindor? Or was she cunning and ambitious like a Slytherin? Was she clever like a Ravenclaw? Or hardworking and kind like a Hufflepuff?

_"Lots of bravery I see. You would do anything to protect your family. But wait! That makes room for a soft hand and kindness as well. I can definitely see you going to Hufflepuff."_

Molly loosened her grip on the stool, calming down slightly.

"Wherever you choose to put me," she muttered, "I'll be happy with it."

_"Now, that's someone I like to see. Not many new students who place me on their head act like that. But no, definitely not Slytherin. You are clever, very clever. But unfortunately, not Ravenclaw clever. You are hardworking, oh very much so. But where I see your loyalty lay, you stand the test of life with all the heart you give and more. I know where to put you."_

**"GRYFFINDOR!"**

* * *

***Year Two***

"Urgh! Why can't I do it?"

"Miss Prewett!"

Molly looked up into the face of Professor McGonagall to see irritation lining her face.

"What you need is patience," she told her, "Less I give everyone another lecture about how dangerous, difficult, and impossible Transfiguration can be without patience -"

"But -" Molly began. McGonagall sighed.

"Dear, I know it's frustrating. But don't expect to get it right the first time you try it. Just be patient and keep trying." McGonagall told her rather kindly before she walked over to the desk where another boy had managed to turn his beetles twice their normal size. Molly looked down and was unhappy to see all of her beetles were still crawling around on her desk. None of them laid round and flat like the black shiny buttons they were supposed to be.

'_At least he was able to do something to them.' _Molly thought, as the Professor began to yell at the other boy.

Molly pointed her wand at one of the beetles for what felt like the hundredth time that day. And as she thought about it, it probably was the hundredth time that day.

The beetle jerked a bit, but continued to lie still in its beetle form like nothing had happened. Molly was at the tip of impatience.

"Come on!" she jabbed at the same beetle, which before her and everyone else's eyes began to grow unbelievably large.

Many of the second year girls in the class screamed and pointed at the growing bug. And the boy behind Molly stared at it bemusedly.

"For heaven's sake!" McGonagall cried, whipping out her wand and waving it at both of the gigantic beetles. Which began to shrink back to their normal and small size.

"Detention! Both of you!" Professor McGonagall yelled at Molly and the redheaded boy behind her, before stalking angrily back to her desk. Molly turned to look at the boy and snorted in laugher after seeing his utterly bemused expression. She straightened herself in her chair and fought the urge to laugh as she replayed in her head what had happened. She couldn't wait to tell her brothers.

* * *

***Year Three***

"I don't want to do this Gideon!" Molly yelled at her older brother, who rolled his eyes.

"Come on," he said, "Just give it a go! It won't hurt you!"

"But -" Molly began, but Gideon clicked his tongue.

"Looks like you're not a real Gryffindor after all," he said to her in mock disappointment, "Too afraid to even tryout for Quidditch." Molly glared at him, frustrated.

"Fine!" she said, "I'll tryout! Even though I don't want to play on the team."

"You'll do fine Molly!" Gideon called after her as she walked out towards the middle of the Quidditch pitch, "Don't worry! I'll watch!"

"Oh, yes, that won't put pressure on me at all," Molly muttered sarcastically, as she reached the point where her brother Fabian was.

"Where's Gideon?" he asked.

"Over there," Molly pointed to the stands, where Gideon was clearly visible.

"Oi! Aren't you going to help me judge?" he yelled to the stands, and Gideon shook his head, propping his feet up on the seat below him.

"Well, what position did you want?" Fabian asked his sister.

"I don't know," she said, "I don't even know the rules of this game." Fabian sighed, and then quickly explained the rules and everything to his sister. He soon realized he had been giving her a lecture like explanation and told her to get on her broom.

It wasn't anything special; it was just an old school broom. But Molly's brothers had been kind enough to go searching through and testing out all the other school brooms so she could have the best of the bunch to tryout with.

"Now, Molly, from Gideon and I's observation you seemed to be fit for the position that requires a lot feisty passion," Fabian told her as they both stood there readying to take off.

"And what's that?" Molly asked, adjusting her broom nervously. She had never liked flying. But her whole family was always telling her how good she was at it.

"Beater," said Fabian, "Here," he bent down to open a trunk that sat near his feet, "You'll need this." He threw one of the Beaters bats towards Molly. She caught it, and stared at it.

"How? What am I? Am I supposed to hit something with this?"

"Remember I told you what a Beaters job is?" said Fabian, adjusting his wrist watch.

"You, I'm supposed to hit the bludger," said Molly uncertainly, "And, knock it towards the other team?"

"Exactly," said Fabian, "And that's where I come in. I'm going to play the other team," he reached down and took the other bat, "Now, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to unleash one of the bludgers and knock it towards you. Got that?" Molly nodded, "Good. And your job is to knock it back towards me."

"That's it?" Molly asked, as if it sounded easy.

"It's not as easy as you think it is Molly," said Fabian, reaching down and grabbing the chain that secured the bludgers within the trunk, "Fly up and once you get high enough I'll let them go."

"Okay," she said nervously.

"You're a good flier Molly," said Fabian, "I really am amazed you don't like it."

"I'm just, just -"

"Don't worry," her brother said. '_Don't worry,' _it seemed that Fabian and Gideon were always saying that to her.

Molly kicked off from the ground and soared upwards. Feeling the wind push on her hair and blow on her face she couldn't help but laugh joyfully as she did so. Fabian saw Molly give him the** OK** signal and he yanked the chain back on the trunk, unleashing one of the bludgers.

The bludger soured upward and flew in all directions. Fabian quickly got on his broom and kicked off the ground to meet his sister.

"We're only going to practice with one for now!" he yelled to her, and she nodded furiously. Molly raised her bat, waiting for Fabian to knock the bludger toward her. Fabian raised his hand and began counting back from five.

"Five, four," he muttered to himself, but gave Molly the signals, "three, two, one." Fabian pushed his weight forward onto the broom, charging at the bludger that was floating innocently in the middle of the pitch. Raising his bat, he heard a soft '_smack_' as it collided with the bludger, which began speeding towards his sister. Gideon was now sitting straight up, watching his sister charge towards the speeding bludger.

Molly felt like her hair was going to fall out as she forced her weight onto the old broom. Watching the bludger with eyes like a hawk, she raised her bat.

"Yes!" Gideon yelled, punching the air once he saw Molly hit the bludger right on point, "That's how a Prewett does it!" But Gideon's smile quickly turned to a frown once he saw Fabian get struck in the stomach by the same bludger.

"Maybe not," he said, shaking his head and sitting back down. Once again, propping his feet up on the back of another seat.

"Alright," Fabian said, coughing, "Let's see if you can do that again." and he knocked the bludger back towards his redheaded sister.

* * *

"Twenty two times? Really?" Molly yelled questionably to her brother Gideon, who had been counting how many times his sister managed to hit Fabian with the bludger.

"Such a joy to have accomplished I know," he said proudly, and Fabian hit him hard in the shoulder.

"And that's not even counting after I let both of them out right?" he asked, still rubbing the sore parts of his body.

"Right," Gideon replied, "Because I stopped counting after that." Molly beamed up at them both. Despite being only a few years younger them, she was still quite short.

"Still hate flying little sis?" Fabian asked, smiling at her.

"No, I love it!" she exclaimed, "Does this mean I get to play?"

"I think so," Gideon said, after punching Fabian in the spot where the bludgers had hit him multiple times, and seeing him wince in pain, "Mum and dad will be so proud." Molly beamed even more, and they continued to walk back towards the castle in light of the setting sun. Gideon still punching his brother playfully as they went.

* * *

***Year Four***

"Molly. Molly."

"MOLLY!"

Molly screamed. Flailing out of her chair and falling onto the library floor.

"WHAT?" she screamed back at her friend, who was now wearing a look of terror on her face as she watched Madam Pince approach them both angrily. Looking like an angry vulture that had just had its meat taken away.

"Out! Out! Out of this Library!" she yelled at them both, pushing the other girl hard in the back and yanking Molly up from the floor by the robes.

"You both cannot come back here until tomorrow!" Madam Pince yelled.

"But! Madam Pince! Can I just get my -"

"Out!"

Molly and her friend ran out of the library as fast as their feet could carry. Molly heard the doors slam behind them as she charged through the corridors with Bonnie.

"That. Old. Witch!" Bonnie panted, her hands on her knees.

"She's really not that old you know," said Molly, gasping for breath as she held on to the railing of the spiral staircase which led to Gryffindor tower.

"I don't care! She even broke her own rule trying to get us out of there!" Molly straightened up and realized she had left all of her books back in the library.

"Urgh, I wish I could just get my books back. I only hate her for that," she said.

"Just ask one of your brothers to go in and get them for you. They're not "banned from library" until tomorrow like us." said her friend.

"But the exams are tomorrow! And I still have all that stuff I need to study for our O.W.L's!"

"Just ask someone," Bonnie said, "I need to get to Flitwick's office. There's something I want to ask him about for my Charms O.W.L."

"What? You're just going to leave me here?" Molly yelled to her friends retreating back.

"I'm sorry!" she yelled back, "It's important." Molly sighed, and then she straightened and looked around the vacant corridor.

She still had several essays to complete, and still had several pieces of homework she needed to finish all by tomorrow. She had to get her books back.

"I got an idea," she muttered to herself, "And yes Bonnie, Fabian and Gideon already have helped." she reached down to pick up her bag, and then realized that she had left that too.

"Urgh!"

* * *

Molly had sneaked out of the girls Gryffindor dorms around midnight. When she was sure everyone would be sleeping, besides the teachers patrolling the halls of course.

Molly walked as quietly as she could, making her way down the spiral staircase and through the corridor that led to the library.

"Awfully late for you to be out don't you think?"

Molly gasped. Covering her mouth, she looked all around her to try and find the source of the voice.

"You!" she whispered, looking up into the face of one of the portraits, "Shouldn't you be sleeping or something?"

"Oh! You're telling me I should be in bed!" the portrait lady laughed.

"Please be quiet!" Molly whispered frantically.

"Why are you out dear?" the portrait asked.

"I'm going to try and sneak into the library," Molly replied, and the lady stared at her.

"What for?" she asked

"I left my books in there. My textbooks!" she said exasperatedly, after seeing the lady's amusingly questionable face.

"Oh, studying for your O.W.L's are you?" the lady asked.

"Yes," Molly replied, wanting to get the conversation over with.

"Oh, I remember when I was your age," said the lady, "Fourteen years old, studying for my O.W.L's just like you. Oh, it seems so long ago." Molly slowly inched away from the portrait as it began to go into a riddling tale of years forgotten. Molly made it far enough where she began to rush towards the library again.

She made it to the door. Pulling out her wand she muttered,

"Alohomora." The lock on the door '_clicked_' and Molly slowly made her way inside. Making sure Madam Pince wasn't around to watch her, she moved over to the desk she had been sitting at earlier that day and saw that all of her stuff, her books, her parchment, her ink and quill, and her bag were all in the exact same spot.

Molly glanced around the room one more time before quickly walking over to the desk and grabbing all her stuff in a great rush. But she was still careful not to make a sound. Struggling to keep a hold on it all, Molly dashed as fast and quietly as she could back out of the library, through the corridor, up the spiral staircase, and into Gryffindor tower.

"Password?" asked the Fat Lady.

"Bangles!" Molly gasped.

"My goodness child," said the Fat Lady, looking at the load Molly was carrying, "You really should think about doing schoolwork earlier."

"Just let me in!" Molly half-yelled.

"Hmph!" the Fat Lady's portrait swung open and Molly ran inside. After it had closed she dumped all of her things onto the floor and fell back into one of the armchairs, panting.

"There Gideon," she said to herself, "Who says I wasn't brave enough to break into somewhere?"

* * *

***Year Five***

The sun beat down on the heads of the fifth year Hogwarts students who were all busy taking their O.W.L's.

Molly squinted while trying to hide her eyes from the sunlight as she read one of the questions.

_Describe the circumstances that led to the Formation of the International Confederation of Wizards and explain why the warlocks of Liechtenstein refused to join._

Molly sat there for a while, trying to think of the answer. '_Great_.' she thought. This was the only question she was stumped on. Molly heard a scratching noise and thought it was the person next to her scribbling on their parchment. But when she opened her eyes, she saw someone had written the answer down for her.

"That's the answer," said a boy next her.

"Arthur!" Molly whispered, "How am I supposed to turn this in? You're not supposed to -"

"But look!" he whispered back to her, pointing at some of the other students, "You don't think they're doing same thing?" Molly turned back to him frustrated.

"Just because others break the rules doesn't make it okay for everyone else to do it!" she said.

"No talking!" said Professor Flitwick. Molly turned back to Arthur and saw him put his head down and continue to write. She then proceeded to sneak a look in her History of Magic book to see if his answer was actually right. Molly looked back at her parchment, and discovered that it was.

* * *

"Arthur!" Molly called, once she and all the other students were free to exit the Great Hall, "Arthur! Wait!"

"Molly?" Arthur had stopped so suddenly Molly had run straight into him, causing them both to fall onto the solid, hard floor. The students all around them laughed at the sight of them both lying face down on the floor. Arthur's bag had split open and all of the contents were strewn all over the place. Including several broken ink bottles.

"Got yourself a girlfriend eh Weasley?" one of the boys yelled over the laughter of the other students. This caused it to erupt even louder and Arthur and Molly's faces both went as red as their hair.

"I'm sorry," Molly whispered to Arthur, finally getting off him.

"It's alright," he said quickly, before running through the Entrance Hall and towards the grounds.

"Wait! Arthur!" Molly yelled after him, but this caused him to run even faster and before she knew it he was out of sight.

"Wait! Arthur!" one of the Slytherin girls mocked and this caused the whole of everyone else in the hall to laugh even louder. Molly blushed even deeper and contemplated on running after Arthur. But then realized it was probably best to leave him alone.

Molly ran out of the Entrance Hall and headed towards the spiral staircase that led to Gryffindor tower. Feeling like she wanted to cry out from all the embarrassment.

* * *

***Year Six***

"That's called a coffee machine," said Arthur, pointing to a machine that was making foam as the Muggle employee held down a button. Molly fought the urge to laugh at Arthur's excitment. They had been sitting in a Muggle coffee shop all afternoon and Arthur had been telling Molly everything he knew about Muggles.

"A coffee machine?" Molly asked. She hadn't been all that keen on what her date had planned for their day out. But after talking about Muggles as if they were zoo animals for two hours she became increasingly interested.

"A coffee machine," Arthur repeated, "They use them to make coffee. Although, the only difference they have from the ones we use really is that they're not powered by magic."

"That's strange," said Molly intrigued, "How does it work?" Arthur stared at her. That was one thing he didn't know. How did it work?

"Er, well, I think they put something in it," he said.

"Coffee beans? Grinds?" Molly offered smiling.

"Uh, yes, er, but I think they put something else in it too," Arthur replied.

"Like what?" Molly asked.

"They're called filters," said a Muggle man sitting at the table next to them, "Never heard of them eh?" he said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Filters?" Arthur repeated, "What are -"

"Arthur," Molly hissed embarrassingly, noticing the strange look the Muggle was giving them both. As if they were dim. Arthur shut up immediately. Slightly surprised that Molly did that though.

The Muggle turned back to his newspaper. But he still shot strange looks to them every now and then as they continued to talk and study the Muggles around them, though in a more quiet tone.

* * *

"What time is it?" Molly whispered to Arthur.

"Almost three thirty," he said, checking his watch.

"I don't want someone to find us," Molly whispered urgently, "Come on."

"Don't you want to stay out a little more?" Arthur asked, as she began to pull on his hand for him to follow her.

"Yes," Molly replied after a pause, "But we can't. Or else someone will find us." Molly pulled on Arthur's hand and began to drag him through the corridors that led to Gryffindor tower. Their success at staying clear of any authority though was short lived.

"Who's over there?" the caretaker Apollyon Pringle shouted into the darkness. Molly gasped when she saw her and Arthur's shadows plastered against the wall by Pringle's wand light.

"Come out!" Pringle shouted.

"Go back to Gryffindor tower," Arthur whispered to Molly urgently.

"But you'll get caught," Molly whispered back.

"I don't care," Arthur replied, "Just go!" Arthur pushed Molly hard in the back which forced her out from behind the stone statue they had been hiding behind.

"You!" Pringle pointed to the figure moving behind a drapery which was Molly. Arthur panicked and took out his wand. He pointed it at the stone wall and yellow sparks flew out from the tip. This caught Pringle's attention, and he moved over to the where the sparks had come from which was behind the statue of a one eyed witch.

"Arthur," Molly whispered, knowing he had done that just so she wouldn't get caught. She heard Pringle yell in glee when he found Arthur behind the statue. She heard him drag him away across the corridor, telling him about all the punishments he would possibly get in a joyful tone. Molly dashed out from behind the drapery once she heard his voice disappear. She ran back to Gryffindor tower and was told off by the Fat Lady.

"Honestly! Wandering the corridors at four in the morning! I thought the night you stole your books back from the library was the last time I'd see you do it," she ranted.

"Just let me in!"

"Password child?" asked the Fat Lady, unscrewing a bottle of wine.

"Don't you think it's a little late to be drinking wine?" Molly asked.

"Oh! I'm no hypocrite dear!" said the Fat Lady, "As long as I don't drink too much I'm fine!"

"Dogsbody!" Molly yelled.

"That's it dear," the Fat Lady swung forward, revealing the portrait hole, "Now, up to bed with you!" she said, as Molly walked in. Molly adopted an irritated look as the portrait hole closed behind her.

She sighed, and looked out the window. She could see the sky getting brighter over the horizon. Molly took off her robes, and climbed the staircase to the girl's dormitories. Thinking that now she was back she may as well just do what the Fat Lady told her, and go to bed. She would find out what happened to her boyfriend when the sun came up.

* * *

***Year Seven***

Molly stood there, in the freezing cold of an early summer night. Waiting for the boats that took her up to Hogwarts castle in her first to come back and take her away from the place she had called her second home. She stood next to her friend Bonnie, and Arthur was also right next to her, his arm around her as they all waited to be taken away from Hogwarts for the summer where she knew they wouldn't return.

Molly remembered the day her brothers Fabian and Gideon had graduated and left Hogwarts on the very same boats that took them up their first year. She remembered how sad she felt knowing they would be leaving her. But by that time she had found Arthur and for some reason he made her feel less alone.

Molly squinted and saw Ogg, the gamekeeper approaching them in the boats. They became closer and closer as she stood there waiting with the rest of her fellow former students, feeling the summer breeze brush her red hair around her face as she did so.

Once Ogg had made it to shore, he gestured for the students to climb into each of the boats.

'_Only three to a boat_' Molly thought as she climbed into one of the small wooden boats, sitting down between Arthur and Bonnie. She felt a jerk, and the boats began to move through the water. She turned around to stare at the castle while they moved further and further away. Bonnie and Arthur did the same, as did the rest of the students. Hogwarts was like a second home to them all. It almost felt heartbreaking leaving it. And for some reason, Molly felt a strange haunted feeling surrounding her thoughts as she stared at the disappearing castle. They moved under a pair of trees and before she knew it, Hogwarts was out of her sight.

"I guess I'll see you?" Bonnie asked her friend, and Molly nodded.

"I'll keep in touch," Molly replied, and watched her friend climb onto the train.

"Wait," Arthur held Molly back.

"What?" Molly asked confusingly. Arthur waited until every student was on the train before turning to her.

"Molly," he asked, looking her full in the face.

"What is it?" she asked, now extremely confused. But she felt a rush of excitement and emotion as she saw Arthur get down on his knee. He pulled out a small velvet box from his robe pocket and opened it, revealing a shiny diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?" he asked her quietly. Molly covered her mouth to hide her sobs. She nodded, and then broke down in tears of happiness as she wrapped her arms around Arthur's neck. He hugged her back, and over her shoulder he saw the train beginning to move.

"Come on," he grabbed her hand rushed onto the train right before the final whistle blew. Arthur slammed the door the moment the train began to pick up speed. He then turned back to Molly.

"Is that a yes?" he asked, looking at the tears running down her face.

"Yes," she said, once again wrapping her arms around his neck, "Yes." Molly looked into the face of her new fiancé, before closing her soft lips on his, feeling happier than she ever thought she would through all those years.

* * *

_**A/N: **Kind of a sappy ending I know, but I couldn't resist. :3 Please leave a review and tell me what you thought, but please be kind if anything's wrong. Thanks for reading and I hope you liked._


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